Bad money-saving tips

[Sandi_k]

Lol, I made a prom dress out of a pretty floral sheet. Couple of years later my sister wore it to a dance. Some guy recognized it as a sheet and said, "Nighty night, Sister Sue", which we both thought was hilarious. 

True story - the lace edging on my wedding dress neckline came off a placemat.

I found it when now-DH and I were traveling in France, and went into a hardware store to gawk and see what things were different - and I found the placemat in a clearance bin.

I had already bought the brocade fabric for the dress, which had leaves on it. The lace was also in a leaf motif, and was subtle. I brought it home to the seamstress, she reviewed it, pulled out her shears, and snipped away the fabric. She then tossed it on the dress dummy, and the neckline of the dress was damn near perfectly aligned with the dimensions of the placemat edges. I got chills, it was so perfect.

At the wedding, I took great delight in sharing that tidbit with some guests. ;)

[Dicey]

Lol, I made a prom dress out of a pretty floral sheet. Couple of years later my sister wore it to a dance. Some guy recognized it as a sheet and said, "Nighty night, Sister Sue", which we both thought was hilarious. 

True story - the lace edging on my wedding dress neckline came off a placemat.

I found it when now-DH and I were traveling in France, and went into a hardware store to gawk and see what things were different - and I found the placemat in a clearance bin.

I had already bought the brocade fabric for the dress, which had leaves on it. The lace was also in a leaf motif, and was subtle. I brought it home to the seamstress, she reviewed it, pulled out her shears, and snipped away the fabric. She then tossed it on the dress dummy, and the neckline of the dress was damn near perfectly aligned with the dimensions of the placemat edges. I got chills, it was so perfect.

At the wedding, I took great delight in sharing that tidbit with some guests. ;)

Damn, that story warms my heart. I'd love to see a picture!

[RetiredAt63]

Lol, I made a prom dress out of a pretty floral sheet. Couple of years later my sister wore it to a dance. Some guy recognized it as a sheet and said, "Nighty night, Sister Sue", which we both thought was hilarious. 

True story - the lace edging on my wedding dress neckline came off a placemat.

I found it when now-DH and I were traveling in France, and went into a hardware store to gawk and see what things were different - and I found the placemat in a clearance bin.

I had already bought the brocade fabric for the dress, which had leaves on it. The lace was also in a leaf motif, and was subtle. I brought it home to the seamstress, she reviewed it, pulled out her shears, and snipped away the fabric. She then tossed it on the dress dummy, and the neckline of the dress was damn near perfectly aligned with the dimensions of the placemat edges. I got chills, it was so perfect.

At the wedding, I took great delight in sharing that tidbit with some guests. ;)

Damn, that story warms my heart. I'd love to see a picture!

Me too, warm heart and picture longing.

[Sandi_k]

OK, let me go find it....

OK, here you go, @Dicey and @RetiredAt63 -

[clifp]

I'm the opposite, I try not to get below half.  Had a few too many stuck in traffic or bad winter driving situations that I don't want to risk running out of gas.  Just filled up yesterday, in fact ($1.846/litre, ouch).

Same here! But in theory if you got say, 20.1 MPG instead of 20 MPG because you consistently drove with half a tank or less in the vehicle over it's lifespan it would add up to ~$500-1000 in savings over that time =D

I fill-up by sticking the charger in the Tesla most days,it is actually free cause my solar generates more electricity than  I consume..  I only charge the battery about 190 miles, since they say it makes the battery last longer. But now, I'm wonder if putting less electrons in the batteyr, will result better e-mileage?  Electrons have mass right, you have to be saving a few grams or maybe milligrams? :-)

[RetiredAt63]

OK, let me go find it....

OK, here you go, @Dicey and @RetiredAt63 -

Lovely dress and the lace is perfect on it.

[DadJokes]

Since inflation appears that it will with us for the long-term, everybody has money saving tips.  Not all will be good...here's one from Shaquille O'neal  (ex-basketball player and now TV analyst)
 https://twitter.com/TheWilderThings/status/1500960088533700610?s=20&t=QnxT17NUnO7X7jcKNLHYPA

I always find it weird when someone suggests that I buy something and then it's framed as "savings". I don't really have any specific examples at the moment. Maybe I will think of one later.

I've got one.

My FIL (who is generally good with money) was suggesting that we might consider getting a Tesla to save on gas.

I can't remember the exact numbers, but based on $4/gallon gasoline, our current gas mileage, the cost of a Tesla minus the market cost of my wife's car, and the cost to re-charge, it would have taken something like 10 years to break even on the cost of fuel.

[zolotiyeruki]

My FIL (who is generally good with money) was suggesting that we might consider getting a Tesla to save on gas.

I know someone who did just this.  The cheapest Tesla is $42k.  The car I bought a few months ago cost me $1750, and gets 25-35MPG.  Let's assume electricity is free, I only get 25MPG, and gas is $5/gallon.  That Tesla won't pay for itself in gas savings for ($40k/$5/gal * 25MPG) = 200,000 miles.  If gas drops to $4/gallon, that's 250,000 miles, and if I get 30MPG instead of 25, it pushes it to 300k miles.  Add the cost of electricity (~$10 to recharge the Tesla for 350 miles), and I'm too lazy to figure that one out.

[YttriumNitrate]

My FIL (who is generally good with money) was suggesting that we might consider getting a Tesla to save on gas.

I know someone who did just this.  The cheapest Tesla is $42k.  The car I bought a few months ago cost me $1750, and gets 25-35MPG.  Let's assume electricity is free, I only get 25MPG, and gas is $5/gallon.  That Tesla won't pay for itself in gas savings for ($40k/$5/gal * 25MPG) = 200,000 miles.  If gas drops to $4/gallon, that's 250,000 miles, and if I get 30MPG instead of 25, it pushes it to 300k miles.  Add the cost of electricity (~$10 to recharge the Tesla for 350 miles), and I'm too lazy to figure that one out.

Don't forget to add in the extra annual use-tax many places have registering for electric vehicles. In Indiana it's $150/yr which works out to about half of what I spend per year on gas (assuming $5/gal gas) for my crazy efficient ICE car.

[la Condessa]

Some running shorts and socks have fit this as new designs are not what I am looking for, at any price. Glad I bought a couple extra pairs of my current shorts two years ago.

I learned to sew because I couldn't find any shorts I liked. 

BTW, sewing your own clothes doesn't save money.

At our poorest point, I sewed a lot of my kids’ clothes out of things from the donation place’s free bin that clothes with holes or stains went into.  Pretty easy to cut pieces out of the good parts of a clothing article for a small kid.  I also got buttons and zippers from those clothes, and occasionally Joann’s has “$5 off one item” coupons available, so I would figure the size of a piece of fabric to come in at just over $5 each time. 

[RetiredAt63]

Some running shorts and socks have fit this as new designs are not what I am looking for, at any price. Glad I bought a couple extra pairs of my current shorts two years ago.

I learned to sew because I couldn't find any shorts I liked. 

BTW, sewing your own clothes doesn't save money.

At our poorest point, I sewed a lot of my kids’ clothes out of things from the donation place’s free bin that clothes with holes or stains went into.  Pretty easy to cut pieces out of the good parts of a clothing article for a small kid.  I also got buttons and zippers from those clothes, and occasionally Joann’s has “$5 off one item” coupons available, so I would figure the size of a piece of fabric to come in at just over $5 each time.

Adult clothing can cut down to children's clothing quite nicely.  Plus you don't need new buttons/zippers as long as the ones on the piece of clothing are good.  The trick is to find the right item.

As an adult I find sewing is more for getting exactly what I want at an affordable price rather than just saving money as such.  Plus home furnishings.

[deborah]

I sew most of my clothes. Not shoes and socks. When I worked, I gradually changed to a “uniform” of trousers, skivey (bought) and jacket in winter and the same trousers, white shirt and waistcoat in summer. I substituted a tshirt (bought) for the white shirt and waistcoat on the days I wasn’t working.

I’ve been retired for 12 years. I’m still wearing all the trousers I made while I was at work. The white shirts and waistcoats are still sitting in my cupboard, and are used when I want to dress up. When I travel, I buy one tshirt each time as a momento. I recently finished two jackets that were partly made before I finished work, because my others are beginning to wear out. My skiveys have been replaced.

I’ve always thought that making your own clothes didn’t save money, particularly as my jackets and waistcoats are one of a kind that I get lots of compliments for but that take a fair bit of time to produce. However, my trousers were all made three at a time, with fabric that was on incredible specials, and ended up cheaper than store bought trousers of the time. I doubt that my clothes would be lasting this long if they were bought. As a side benefit, I don’t go clothes shopping. This is fantastic, as I don’t enjoy it.

[RetiredAt63]

I doubt that my clothes would be lasting this long if they were bought.

They might.  I am still wearing clothes I bought when I was working.  Buying decent quality and caring for things (gentle wash, no dryer) helps them last.  I love not going clothes shopping.  But I may have to this year, some things finally need replacing. 

I find that there is less fabric choice for regular clothes than there was 10 years ago.  Lots of fancy fabrics for fancy outfits, but not a lot for nice everyday pants and tops.

[Just Joe]

This reminds me of a chain email I got from a family member around 2008, when gas prices were really high.  To send a message to the oil companies, everyone was urged to stop buying gas on Fridays (or Thursday or some other day).  They'd see a huge drop in their revenue, relent, and lower prices at the pump somehow.  I'm not sure how it didn't occur to them that they're still buying the same amount of gas.

That would work if they didn't drive for one or more days. That would actually reduce their consumption. I remember that email too.

[Villanelle]

This reminds me of a chain email I got from a family member around 2008, when gas prices were really high.  To send a message to the oil companies, everyone was urged to stop buying gas on Fridays (or Thursday or some other day).  They'd see a huge drop in their revenue, relent, and lower prices at the pump somehow.  I'm not sure how it didn't occur to them that they're still buying the same amount of gas.

Same logic as liquor stores not being open on Sunday?

I thought that got grouped in with other laws banning work on the day of rest and avoiding sin.

Yes. Apparently buying liquor only offends Jesus when it's done on Sunday.

I get it now. I’m a bit slow sometimes.

It does nothing to reduce overall consumption.  When Minnesota changed the law to allow sales on Sunday,  the liquor store owners were the most opposed because they would have more overhead and the same amount of revenue if they opened,  but would lose out to competition if they remained closed.

I lived in Germany for a few years a decade+ ago, and most grocery stores were closed on Sundays. An observant coworker, in response to my "what the hell" question about it was "well, I buy what I need on Saturday, and I would not buy more than I need just because I can shop on Sunday." I didn't get it at the time, coming from the land of 24/7 Walmart, but he was exactly right. I would have liked to see the crowds spread across a couple days, but similar to the booze comment, it would just increase overhead and lead eventually to higher cost and then prices.

When I lived in Germany, I also noticed that most stores in our village (and beyond) closed by 6pm on weekdays.  For me, it sometimes made shopping frustrating, butI was basically told my Germany friends, "the shops make what they need to live on in the time they are open.  Sure, they might make 5% more by being open 20% more hours (since most of the consumption was likely just compressed, it certainly wouldn't be a 1:1 increase).  But they don't need more money."  Isn't that basically mustachianism?

[LiveLean]

If you're a Costco member and Costco is close enough to your home to make it convenient, gas more than pays for your membership over the course of a year. This year it's probably paid for itself already.

[BC_Goldman]

If you're a Costco member and Costco is close enough to your home to make it convenient, gas more than pays for your membership over the course of a year. This year it's probably paid for itself already.

Do you even need to be a member to buy Costco gas? I've been buying at the one near me and they've never asked if I was a member (I am currently). Always long lines there too.

[Dicey]

If you're a Costco member and Costco is close enough to your home to make it convenient, gas more than pays for your membership over the course of a year. This year it's probably paid for itself already.

Do you even need to be a member to buy Costco gas? I've been buying at the one near me and they've never asked if I was a member (I am currently). Always long lines there too.

Hmmm, I always charge my Costco gas on my Costco Visa, which is linked to my membership. I'll ask my Costco Brother and report back.

[Sandi_k]

At our Costco, you have to put in your Costco card before you put in your payment card.

[BC_Goldman]

It might also depend on the location. I've definitely bought gas there when I wasn't a member. I had been buying gas there because it was that Top Tier/Shelf stuff and also was cheaper than most other stations. I'm not sure if I will keep doing so since it's out of the way and probably doesn't save me enough to justify the extra time in line.

[RetiredAt63]

At our Costco, you have to put in your Costco card before you put in your payment card.

Same for us.

[clarkfan1979]

Since inflation appears that it will with us for the long-term, everybody has money saving tips.  Not all will be good...here's one from Shaquille O'neal  (ex-basketball player and now TV analyst)
 https://twitter.com/TheWilderThings/status/1500960088533700610?s=20&t=QnxT17NUnO7X7jcKNLHYPA

I always find it weird when someone suggests that I buy something and then it's framed as "savings". I don't really have any specific examples at the moment. Maybe I will think of one later.

When I was renting to a group of college students, I paid $150 for a service guy to fix the dryer. I would occasionally communicate with the parents and one of the parents suggested that I buy an appliance insurance policy for $50/month to save money. I replied in a very professional manner and explained to them that those policies don't actually save money.

I had home depot replace a washer for $300 in 2014 or 2015. It was a killer deal. It took maybe 7-10 days to set up the appointment to have it delivered. Two days before the washing machine delivery, I started having problems with the dryer. I starting chatting with the appliance guys and I said that I was having problems with the dryer. I said that I was going to go on youtube and if I can't fix it, I will schedule a repair. The appliance delivery guy said, "Well, if you really want to save money, just buy a new dryer" I then explained to him that the dryer was 7 years old and it cost me $650 because it's natural gas dryer. He then didn't say anything else. I ended up fixing it myself for $20. It needed a new drum belt. I replaced the drum belt again about 2 months ago. I still have the dryer from 2007 and I have spent $40 on repairs (with me doing the work).
 

 

[By the River]

That's pretty good.    If you wait to fill up (with gasoline) a whole week it will cost $80 because your tank is empty.   

But if you fill it up on Wednesday, it will only cost $20 because your tank is half full.    So you can save $40 a week by filling it half full twice instead of full once.

I guess Shaq had trouble with math in school.

I know I started this thread laughing at Shaq for his thoughts on saving money by filling up when the gas tank is half full.  Now that I've watched gas prices increase basically 5 cents every day in June, I believe I have to apologize to Mr. O'Neill for not following his advice.   

[geekette]

I know I started this thread laughing at Shaq for his thoughts on saving money by filling up when the gas tank is half full.  Now that I've watched gas prices increase basically 5 cents every day in June, I believe I have to apologize to Mr. O'Neill for not following his advice.

Last time I filled up, the price went up .30/gal

WHILE I WAS WAITING IN LINE!

[GuitarStv]

I know I started this thread laughing at Shaq for his thoughts on saving money by filling up when the gas tank is half full.  Now that I've watched gas prices increase basically 5 cents every day in June, I believe I have to apologize to Mr. O'Neill for not following his advice.

Last time I filled up, the price went up .30/gal

WHILE I WAS WAITING IN LINE!

If I saw a long queue for gas and was a station owner, I'd jack up the price a bit.  :P

[iris lily]

And then there's Indiana, where you can't buy alcohol on Sundays before noon. Not sure about the liquor stores though.

I went to an event in a dry county in Kentucky. The entire county! I don’t understand that.

[geekette]

I know I started this thread laughing at Shaq for his thoughts on saving money by filling up when the gas tank is half full.  Now that I've watched gas prices increase basically 5 cents every day in June, I believe I have to apologize to Mr. O'Neill for not following his advice.

Last time I filled up, the price went up .30/gal

WHILE I WAS WAITING IN LINE!

If I saw a long queue for gas and was a station owner, I'd jack up the price a bit.  :P

I had points for $1 off per gallon for up to 35 gallons so my mom and sister met me there. Unfortunately, 3 of the 8 pumps weren’t working.

The woman who worked there and was told to raise the price was very gloomy about it. I don’t know that I’ve ever noticed the price changing in the middle of the day before.

[DadJokes]

And then there's Indiana, where you can't buy alcohol on Sundays before noon. Not sure about the liquor stores though.

I went to an event in a dry county in Kentucky. The entire county! I don’t understand that.

Christians trying to impose their beliefs on everyone

I grew up in what was once the largest dry city in the country. Naturally, there were a bunch of liquor stores just outside city limits. It didn't stop anyone from drinking; it just made them drive farther to do it. Interestingly, in the decade since voters passed a law to allow packaged alcohol sales in the city, DWIs have gone down nearly 25%.

[Sugaree]

And then there's Indiana, where you can't buy alcohol on Sundays before noon. Not sure about the liquor stores though.

Back in my college days (the first, unsuccessful go round), I lived in Northern Indiana. On Sundays, we would load 4-5 of us into the car and drive to Michigan (only about 15 miles away) to make our beer purchases. Now that I'm back in Illinois, the one thing Indiana does have going for it is they sell Yuengling!

I guess this second part could fall into a "bad" money saving tip. A buddy of mine from work used to take orders and drive to Indiana to get it - he would usually come back with a couple of pony kegs and the bed of his truck filled with cases of beer. Mmm... beer. At least he was making it worthwhile by bringing as much back as possible.

I may or may not have grown up in a state where the age to buy cigarettes was 19.  But we were 26 miles from the state line.  Once I turned 18, I'd make cigarette runs, charging all my delinquent, underage friends $5/pack (This would have been 20+ years ago, so they cost between $3 and $4 per pack) plus $5 for gas.  If I got enough people together, I could buy cartons and make a few extra cents. 

[Sugaree]

That's pretty good.    If you wait to fill up (with gasoline) a whole week it will cost $80 because your tank is empty.   

But if you fill it up on Wednesday, it will only cost $20 because your tank is half full.    So you can save $40 a week by filling it half full twice instead of full once.

I guess Shaq had trouble with math in school.

You laugh, but in my cars the half-way mark on the fuel gauge has often been reached before I actually used half the fuel.   Don't know whether that's a safety margin feature or they just can't build gas tank gauge systems that work.   (You know, like the right side mirrors that have stickers on them that say, "Don't trust me, I don't work right.")

So, maybe not that extreme, but filling the tank at the half way mark twice might actually be cheaper than filling it when it's empty.  :)

But you still use the same amount of fuel every week!

It certainly re-enforces my long held belief that you should rarely listen to penny pinching tips from a guy worth hundreds of millions of dollars.  They live in a completely different world and don't actually have to learn how to optimize the nitty gritty tiny details.

I wonder if there is also some self regulation going on with only filling the tank partially?  Might that person then delay a trip to the store because “I only have a quarter of a tank left!”  I can imagine that being a tool for some people. Portion control, if you will.  It’s also a self protective tool I’ve seen in various situations with people in poverty trying to maintain some semblance of control over money. I’m probably mangling the language but if you have it, it gets used. If you have money it gets spent, so why save?  If you buy in bulk, you get mice in the food, the sink overflows and destroys all the extra TP, your neighbor stops by and bums your cigarettes.  So you are better off buying in small quantities. It’s the same with money though, you might save some for an emergency, but those emergencies come often and if your family and friends know you have a little stashed away, they will find ways to make it difficult for you to keep it. If you tank is full of gas, then of course you are the one elected to drive Uncle Joe to the Dr, or the casino and so forth and so on.

I grew up with a parent who was always running out of gas or riding around on empty and partial fill ups and when I started earning my own money it took me a couple years to learn that I did not have to replicate their behavior and I could absolutely live my life without that kind of stress, even on a low income.  In my parents case it was completely caused by their lack of self control of any kind, so I’m kind of arguing both sides of my case here.

eta: so many typos.

I have a set weekly budget for gas and I put that amount in on Monday morning before work.  I used to fill up on Thursday afternoons after I got paid, but what was happening was that my husband would look at my gas gauge and realize that I had gas and would use my car all weekend instead of his, which was inevitably empty.  That, of course, meant that I didn't always have enough gas to get back and forth to work until the next Thursday.  So, I switched to Monday morning and whatever is left in my tank on Friday is what is left for the weekend.  It's been a good change.  We don't fight about his using my car and my gas and if the low fuel light came on as pull into the driveway after work on Friday then we think twice about unnecessary trips. 

[TheGrimSqueaker]

I have a set weekly budget for gas and I put that amount in on Monday morning before work.  I used to fill up on Thursday afternoons after I got paid, but what was happening was that my husband would look at my gas gauge and realize that I had gas and would use my car all weekend instead of his, which was inevitably empty.  That, of course, meant that I didn't always have enough gas to get back and forth to work until the next Thursday.  So, I switched to Monday morning and whatever is left in my tank on Friday is what is left for the weekend.  It's been a good change.  We don't fight about his using my car and my gas and if the low fuel light came on as pull into the driveway after work on Friday then we think twice about unnecessary trips.

In every household, the person with the lowest standards is the one who sets the household standard, unless everyone else adjusts his or her behavior to make it impossible. You found a way to make sure your husband didn't gallivant your commuting gas away. That's good, because until you did it appears nothing would have stopped him from doing so: not even fighting with him or the sight of his spouse unable to commute to work because of something he did. I wonder if there's a way to manage when one spouse is a compulsive spender?

[Dicey]

I know I started this thread laughing at Shaq for his thoughts on saving money by filling up when the gas tank is half full.  Now that I've watched gas prices increase basically 5 cents every day in June, I believe I have to apologize to Mr. O'Neill for not following his advice.

Last time I filled up, the price went up .30/gal

WHILE I WAS WAITING IN LINE!

If I saw a long queue for gas and was a station owner, I'd jack up the price a bit.  :P

I had points for $1 off per gallon for up to 35 gallons so my mom and sister met me there. Unfortunately, 3 of the 8 pumps weren’t working.

The woman who worked there and was told to raise the price was very gloomy about it. I don’t know that I’ve ever noticed the price changing in the middle of the day before.

Believe it or not, Costco does not have long-term gas contracts. The price is the price whenever it is delivered. At a busy station, such as the one closest to us, they get deliveries multiple times per day. Happily, there is another policy that's helpful. Costco price shops in a tight radius around each warehouse. There's an Arco near the one closest to us, so the prices tend to stay steady. We recently gassed up at a Costco with no competition nearby and were shocked at how much higher the prices were in the same region.

[RetiredAt63]

I know I started this thread laughing at Shaq for his thoughts on saving money by filling up when the gas tank is half full.  Now that I've watched gas prices increase basically 5 cents every day in June, I believe I have to apologize to Mr. O'Neill for not following his advice.

Last time I filled up, the price went up .30/gal

WHILE I WAS WAITING IN LINE!

If I saw a long queue for gas and was a station owner, I'd jack up the price a bit.  :P

I had points for $1 off per gallon for up to 35 gallons so my mom and sister met me there. Unfortunately, 3 of the 8 pumps weren’t working.

The woman who worked there and was told to raise the price was very gloomy about it. I don’t know that I’ve ever noticed the price changing in the middle of the day before.

Believe it or not, Costco does not have long-term gas contracts. The price is the price whenever it is delivered. At a busy station, such as the one closest to us, they get deliveries multiple times per day. Happily, there is another policy that's helpful. Costco price shops in a tight radius around each warehouse. There's an Arco near the one closest to us, so the prices tend to stay steady. We recently gassed up at a Costco with no competition nearby and were shocked at how much higher the prices were in the same region.

Hmm, all the Costcos I have ever shopped at have been in semi-suburban areas so they all have nearby gas stations.  What I have noticed is that the nearest stations are close to Costco price even if another gas station of the same brand a few km away has "normal" prices for the area.

[Dicey]

I know I started this thread laughing at Shaq for his thoughts on saving money by filling up when the gas tank is half full.  Now that I've watched gas prices increase basically 5 cents every day in June, I believe I have to apologize to Mr. O'Neill for not following his advice.

Last time I filled up, the price went up .30/gal

WHILE I WAS WAITING IN LINE!

If I saw a long queue for gas and was a station owner, I'd jack up the price a bit.  :P

I had points for $1 off per gallon for up to 35 gallons so my mom and sister met me there. Unfortunately, 3 of the 8 pumps weren’t working.

The woman who worked there and was told to raise the price was very gloomy about it. I don’t know that I’ve ever noticed the price changing in the middle of the day before.

Believe it or not, Costco does not have long-term gas contracts. The price is the price whenever it is delivered. At a busy station, such as the one closest to us, they get deliveries multiple times per day. Happily, there is another policy that's helpful. Costco price shops in a tight radius around each warehouse. There's an Arco near the one closest to us, so the prices tend to stay steady. We recently gassed up at a Costco with no competition nearby and were shocked at how much higher the prices were in the same region.

Hmm, all the Costcos I have ever shopped at have been in semi-suburban areas so they all have nearby gas stations.  What I have noticed is that the nearest stations are close to Costco price even if another gas station of the same brand a few km away has "normal" prices for the area.

Ah, isn't competition great?

[sonofsven]

I found gasoline to be even cheaper at the nearby card lock station, the only caveat is that you need to open a commercial account there to get a card. There's no attendant, and no prices posted, I get billed twice a month and prices are consistently 20-40 cents cheaper than Costco, so even with the 4% cash back for using the Citi Costco card it's still cheaper.
The other big draw of the card lock station is the ethanol free gas available.

[lifeisshort123]

I have to say, I think all the articles about if you never buy the latte on the way to work or those set of things are really inane and silly in terms of being the key to "saving money" or "becoming rich".

They extrapolate out ridiculous statistics and tell you how you'd be a multi-millionaire by just making this one change.

What is usually emphasized is the "don't buy the coffee".  What needs to be emphasized, and understood is the need for you to increase what you are investing or saving.  To top it off, most people who have that as a "habit" will not buy the coffee some days, but buy the coffee other days.  They turn personal finance into the diet with "cheat days" instead of a permanent lifestyle change.

Also, finding ways to say, live in a smaller home, drive a smaller car, make sure your energy bill isn't $600 a month, etc. are going to make it much easier from a financial standpoint - cutting the BIG expenses, and doing it ONCE, not every day.  Even something like getting rid of your cable tv I think might help even more because while it might be a similar amount for the cost of the lattes M-F, you only have to make that choice ONCE, not constantly.

That said, I don't ever stop and get coffee on the way to work, so maybe I'm just bitter that I can't become a multimillionaire with this "life hack"...

[DadJokes]

I have to say, I think all the articles about if you never buy the latte on the way to work or those set of things are really inane and silly in terms of being the key to "saving money" or "becoming rich".

They extrapolate out ridiculous statistics and tell you how you'd be a multi-millionaire by just making this one change.

What is usually emphasized is the "don't buy the coffee".  What needs to be emphasized, and understood is the need for you to increase what you are investing or saving.  To top it off, most people who have that as a "habit" will not buy the coffee some days, but buy the coffee other days.  They turn personal finance into the diet with "cheat days" instead of a permanent lifestyle change.

Also, finding ways to say, live in a smaller home, drive a smaller car, make sure your energy bill isn't $600 a month, etc. are going to make it much easier from a financial standpoint - cutting the BIG expenses, and doing it ONCE, not every day.  Even something like getting rid of your cable tv I think might help even more because while it might be a similar amount for the cost of the lattes M-F, you only have to make that choice ONCE, not constantly.

That said, I don't ever stop and get coffee on the way to work, so maybe I'm just bitter that I can't become a multimillionaire with this "life hack"...

I think everyone focuses in on coffee because of the book, "The Latte Factor." Even there, getting coffee daily isn't the focus of the book. It's about being mindful about your expenses, focusing on what brings you value and not just throwing money away. If someone stops getting coffee at Starbucks daily but changes absolutely nothing else about their life, the difference is minimal. A mindset shift is needed.

But people seem to want to zero in on the coffee bit.

[zolotiyeruki]

Also, finding ways to say, live in a smaller home, drive a smaller car, make sure your energy bill isn't $600 a month, etc. are going to make it much easier from a financial standpoint - cutting the BIG expenses, and doing it ONCE, not every day.  Even something like getting rid of your cable tv I think might help even more because while it might be a similar amount for the cost of the lattes M-F, you only have to make that choice ONCE, not constantly.

I'm feeling the "buy a smaller house" one pretty hard this summer.  Eleven years of living in the house with 6 kids has taken its toll on the paint, hardwood floors, and carpet.  So this year, we painted, got the floors sanded and refinished, and the carpet replaced.  Our house is comically huge, and so the bill was pretty steep for the combination.  Several years ago, my brother's family did something similar.  They also have six kids, and their house has the same number of rooms as ours, but it is smaller.  They had to replace probably 25% less carpet and refinish 50%less hardwood floor.  Not to mention the higher taxes, higher heating/cooling costs, etc.  Although we *did* pay less for our house than they did for theirs...

[sonofsven]

On the contrary, I think it's excellent advice to not pull into a drive thru to buy your coffee every day. You're overpaying for the coffee and you're wasting gasoline.

[GuitarStv]

On the contrary, I think it's excellent advice to not pull into a drive thru to buy your coffee every day. You're overpaying for the coffee and you're wasting gasoline.

Fundamentally, there's a problem with drinking coffee every day.  It's an addictive substance that changes the way you sleep, and has a variety of nervous system impacts.  Like pot and alcohol, caffeine should be at most an occasional treat not used as a daily crutch to survive.

[Morning Glory]

On the contrary, I think it's excellent advice to not pull into a drive thru to buy your coffee every day. You're overpaying for the coffee and you're wasting gasoline.

Not to mention endangering yourself and others by driving before you have had coffee.

[Dicey]

I have to say, I think all the articles about if you never buy the latte on the way to work or those set of things are really inane and silly in terms of being the key to "saving money" or "becoming rich".

They extrapolate out ridiculous statistics and tell you how you'd be a multi-millionaire by just making this one change.

What is usually emphasized is the "don't buy the coffee".  What needs to be emphasized, and understood is the need for you to increase what you are investing or saving.  To top it off, most people who have that as a "habit" will not buy the coffee some days, but buy the coffee other days.  They turn personal finance into the diet with "cheat days" instead of a permanent lifestyle change.

Also, finding ways to say, live in a smaller home, drive a smaller car, make sure your energy bill isn't $600 a month, etc. are going to make it much easier from a financial standpoint - cutting the BIG expenses, and doing it ONCE, not every day.  Even something like getting rid of your cable tv I think might help even more because while it might be a similar amount for the cost of the lattes M-F, you only have to make that choice ONCE, not constantly.

That said, I don't ever stop and get coffee on the way to work, so maybe I'm just bitter that I can't become a multimillionaire with this "life hack"...

I think everyone focuses in on coffee because of the book, "The Latte Factor." Even there, getting coffee daily isn't the focus of the book. It's about being mindful about your expenses, focusing on what brings you value and not just throwing money away. If someone stops getting coffee at Starbucks daily but changes absolutely nothing else about their life, the difference is minimal. A mindset shift is needed.

But people seem to want to zero in on the coffee bit.

Lol, I was thinking when I saw this thread the only person this really worked for was the author of that book.

Fun Fact: I did one of those Money Makeovers before financial blogs were a thing. You know, in the olden days where a newspaper reporter interviews you, a photographer snaps a couple of photos, they send you to a financial planner, put it all together and print it in the newspaper, all free of charge? The FP I was assigned to was that guy's sister. The whole experience was a springboard for me. Funny, even then I knew better than to invest in a "Full-Service" FP. The whole family is very successful and rather philanthropic, so that's nice.

Also, my walking partner is a caffeine addict and always orders a "tall non-fat latte", which always makes me smile inwardly and think fondly of my "non-latte" experience. Don't worry, she can totally afford it. I'm in the "...and Beyond" Club and she's beyond me.

[NorthernIkigai]

I always used to save and invest, but did use to regularly (a few times a week?) indulge in a latte in a café or as a takeout (never drive thru, though). It was only when I discovered FIRE and Mustachianism that I realised how little I actually enjoyed those moments, and how much it was just a habit. Now I still get one maybe a few times a month as an actual treat, but not mindlessly like before.

So for me this little symbolic change is actually part, and representative, of a bigger shift.

[zolotiyeruki]

So for me this little symbolic change is actually part, and representative, of a bigger shift.

And this is exactly the point that most people miss when they point and laugh at it.  Sure, invest your latte money for 40 years, and you'll have $200k or something.  But the point was never that skipping lattes alone would get you to retirement.  The point is that small, consistent habits add up far more than you'd expect.

[Wolfpack Mustachian]

So for me this little symbolic change is actually part, and representative, of a bigger shift.

And this is exactly the point that most people miss when they point and laugh at it.  Sure, invest your latte money for 40 years, and you'll have $200k or something.  But the point was never that skipping lattes alone would get you to retirement.  The point is that small, consistent habits add up far more than you'd expect.

Exactly. And the counter is just as powerful. Ignoring all the little things because individually they are little can add up to kill your savings.

[lifeisshort123]

The little things do add up, no question about it.

I think for most people though, behavior modification is best when it starts from making one or two choices that have an “immediate impact”.  The problem, to me, with the latte thing, is that most people fail to make the same choice every day, feel like a failure with this plan, and then move on.

I agree, the point of evaluating every purchase is huge, and can make big changes.  I love the post about realizing the latte didn’t make you happy.  I have been finding that with so many purchases I used to make, and now have taken away.  For me, much of that has been going out to dinner for example.

[RetiredAt63]

The little things do add up, no question about it.

I think for most people though, behavior modification is best when it starts from making one or two choices that have an “immediate impact”.  The problem, to me, with the latte thing, is that most people fail to make the same choice every day, feel like a failure with this plan, and then move on.

I agree, the point of evaluating every purchase is huge, and can make big changes.  I love the post about realizing the latte didn’t make you happy.  I have been finding that with so many purchases I used to make, and now have taken away.  For me, much of that has been going out to dinner for example.

I think a lot of that is habit.  Part of MMM's message is to examine what we do - does it provide happiness/utility in line with what it costs.  So many things don't once we look at them.

I remember when I was working full time, had a long commute, and a kid - I asked my SiL how she managed, and she was doing takeout 2-3 times a week.  On our budget and lifestyle, that just didn't work.  So, for example, having frozen pizza handy, or better still frozen pizza crust, a can of pizza sauce, and all the trimmings was better than ordering pizza in.  Actually, we lived far enough out in the country that getting delivery was an issue, so ordering and picking up on the way home was better - but making something easy to make was best.

Things that take only one decision are definitely easier low-hanging fruit, because once you make the change it is done.  Think car insurance or cable choices.  But the little daily things do add up, and habits can change.

I actually prefer using a credit or debit card to cash, because when I was analyzing my budget it was so easy to see the categories on my statement (my bank would do the breakdown online if I clicked the right buttons).  Or just scroll down the statement looking for Tim Horton or Starbucks or Second Cup, or whatever.  Or just see what keeps showing up, it may be a surprise.

[Wolfpack Mustachian]

The little things do add up, no question about it.

I think for most people though, behavior modification is best when it starts from making one or two choices that have an “immediate impact”.  The problem, to me, with the latte thing, is that most people fail to make the same choice every day, feel like a failure with this plan, and then move on.

I agree, the point of evaluating every purchase is huge, and can make big changes.  I love the post about realizing the latte didn’t make you happy.  I have been finding that with so many purchases I used to make, and now have taken away.  For me, much of that has been going out to dinner for example.

I would say, though, the big changes are also, buy definition, big. It's hard to get people to buy into seeking their overpriced car, downsizing where they live etc. Sometimes you can squeeze in something that's truly a win win like the mentioned car insurance, but the big things generally have tons of pushback as well, imo.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

I remember when I was working full time, had a long commute, and a kid - I asked my SiL how she managed, and she was doing takeout 2-3 times a week.  On our budget and lifestyle, that just didn't work.  So, for example, having frozen pizza handy, or better still frozen pizza crust, a can of pizza sauce, and all the trimmings was better than ordering pizza in.  Actually, we lived far enough out in the country that getting delivery was an issue, so ordering and picking up on the way home was better - but making something easy to make was best.

That, I think, is the key to behavior modification. It's the same with healthy eating. By making the best thing to do the easiest thing to do, such as by setting up a positive habit or by creating a framework in which it's easy to do what's healthy or what's frugal.

 For example, I'm snacking on carrot sticks right now because I took the time to wash, peel, and cut them and to put them in reusable silicon bags so that they're easy to grab for lunch as I'm assembling it in the morning. I tend to feel rushed at those times, so I don't take the time to make a salad or cut up vegetables for myself every day. Yet the carrot snacks prevent, say, a trip to the (overpriced) vending machine (for calorie-rich and unhealthy snacks). I've always had the habit of pre-making lunch entrees by making more homemade soup, casseroles, beans, or whatever. I've saved a ton of money by not getting a restaurant or cafeteria meal every day. A person who has the habit of going out for lunch every day would indeed benefit from doing otherwise, but their life is set up in a way that makes the easiest thing to do be the most expensive and the most unhealthy.

I find that I can do things like limiting my sugar, chocolate, or alcohol intake by not buying those products or keeping them in the house. If I have to go out of my way to have a chocolate bar, I'm less likely to do it. I'm only exposed to the impulse temptation in the check-out line at the grocery store for a few minutes once a week. That's easier to resist than, say, daily trips to the grocery store.

[GuitarStv]

I find that I can do things like limiting my sugar, chocolate, or alcohol intake by not buying those products or keeping them in the house. If I have to go out of my way to have a chocolate bar, I'm less likely to do it.

I think this is a big part of why I'm not a fatass.  Don't keep junk food in the house, and don't leave the house much . . . you'll become healthier by default!